The Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DGDA) asked the World Customs Organization (WCO) for technical assistance to assess and build Customs officers' capacities in order to prepare them for regaining ownership of functions outsourced to private sector inspection agencies, including Customs valuation.

The first stage of the WCO technical assistance programme was carried out from 12 to 23 January 2015. It entailed conducting a diagnostic study of the current Customs valuation system to identify its strengths, weaknesses and make suitable recommendations.

In addition to meetings with managers and senior staff from Directorates involved in Customs valuation matters, the WCO team held two working sessions with Customs brokers. The team also visited two provincial Directorates to meet DGDA officials assigned to the Customs offices and gain insight into the practices applied in terms of controls on Customs valuation and clearance of goods. The discussions held were candid and informative.

It is worth pointing out that the DGDA is in the midst of a reform and modernization process aimed at offering a proper service to the general public, while striking a balance between the need for controls and trade facilitation.

The mission team examined the DGDA's proposals to take back ownership of the outsourced functions and urged it to apply the provisions of the Agreement on Implementation of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) by using modern tools such as risk management and Post-Clearance Audit (PCA) as recommended in the WCO Revenue Package.

The WCO supports the DGDA's strategy of regaining full control over core functions such as Customs valuation of imported goods, in line with the recommendations on pre-shipment inspection companies set out in the Niamey Declaration and the provisions of the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation.